Introduce your child to the fast-paced action of hoops with Spalding's Rookie Gear Basketball, which is specifically engineered for kids ages 8 and under. Weighing 25 percent less than standard youth-sized balls, this Rookie Gear ball is designed to help your child shoot and rebound more easily and successfully right out of the gate. Parents and coaches can immediately notice improvements in shot mechanics and dribbling technique, as well as increased confidence rebounding a lighter ball. Playing with a lighter ball will help build confidence and enable learning of sound fundamental skills to keep them active and playing the game for years to come. The ball measures 27.5 inches in diameter and is made from high-performance composite leather, which provides leather-like softness and superior grip. It can be used either indoors or outdoors.
About Spalding As a Division of Russell Corporation, the Spalding Group consists of three business units: Spalding in Springfield, MA; American Athletic, Inc. (AAI) in Jefferson, IA; and Huffy Sports, in Sussex, WI. The three companies, collectively combined, are now the largest basketball equipment supplier in the world. Spalding is the official basketball supplier of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the official backboard of the NBA and NCAA, the official volleyball of the King of the Beach Volleyball Tour and the official football of the Arena Football League (AFL) and Pop Warner.
Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
I bought the ball in Summer '09 for my 3 year old because I was going to enroll him in the local buddy basketball league for 4-6 year old and I wanted to get a head start on his form. This is the perfect ball for that age group and should really be considered as the standard ball for leagues that service that age group. This ball weighs 25% less than standard youth basketballs which enables the youngest ballplayers to shoot in a manner than more closely resembles the style of shot that the will use later in their careers. If anyone has ever noticed how most young players shoot a basketball they have noticed that the put the ball next to their ear and fling moreso than shoot the basketball and it ends up going off to the side. This ball allows them to keep a more natural shot. In summary, I think that this a great new type basketball for the youth market and feel like you will see more and more leagues adopt it. I give it a 10 out of 10.
